132 
URETHRAL AND URETAL CALCULI. 
the left side, somewhere about the region of the bladder, but 
evidently not in the bladder itself, I confess that at this time 
I was inclined to look upon the membranous portion of the 
urethra as the seat of the concretion. Subsequent investiga- 
tion and consideration, as will be seen, enabled me shortly 
to form a more correct diagnosis. I now made inquiry into 
the kind of treatment to which my patient had been already 
submitted, and this elicited the curious fact, that amongst 
other things the poor animal had been daily drenched with large 
doses f^LIME WATER ! 
Now, this I consider rather an interesting illustration of 
empiricism, and one that merits a word or two of comment. 
I know the individual who prescribed and practised this ab- 
surdity well, and he is certainly one of the best of his class : 
indeed, I will say, decidedly the best of the old school of prac- 
titioners with whom I have met, and their “ name is legion.” 
But his professional knowledge is entirely and merely prac- 
tical; of theory or science such men know nothing, and 
hence when once taken out of the beaten path of their experi- 
ence they are completely at fault. The circumstance here 
narrated is peculiarly instructive of this fact. There is perhaps 
no malady to which the horse is liable, whose symptoms are 
clearer, or whose diagnosis is more easy than that of stone 
in the bladder ; but the disease is somewhat rare, and we have 
here an instance of a practitioner of forty years’ experience in 
attendance on such a case during a space of three months, 
without once suspecting the true nature of the affection, and 
whose consequent ignorance led him to administer that parti- 
cular agent which, of all others, he ought especially to have 
avoided. 
How often is this the case? and how frequently does the 
poor patient fall a victim to an ignorance which dictates not 
only such treatment as is not beneficial , but that which is often 
positively injurious, productive of incalculable suffering, and 
very often of loss of life itself. I met the other day a person 
with whom I have a trifling acquaintance, who aspires to some 
veterinary knowledge, practising as an amateur occasionally, 
not on his own animals alone, but extending his services also 
to such of his neighbours as are pleased to put faith in his 
professional skill. He seemed rather anxious to inform me 
that he had lost, within the last few days, a very valuable 
horse of his own. <c Indeed,” I remarked, “ and of w r hat 
disease ?” — “ Oh !” he replied, “ a very strong inflammation, 
he breathed uncommonly short, coughed, ran at the nose, 
and his eyes were very red, and swollen into his head” — ie And 
the treatment ?” — “ Oh, nobody could have cured him ! You, 
